Looking to get some instructions to replace my fuel filter / water separator on my 2008 F-450. How difficulties this, where are the filters.

Dealer wants $180 to replace; thought I do it myself.


Thanks in advance for any information...

 

Just search fuel filter replacement. I found instructions posted on here. Took about twenty minutes, 10 were to clean up the diesel fuel I spilled that I had drained out of the fuel/water separator. Cost me $57.00 and that included a 36 mm socket from sears and the filters from Dieselfilters.com

Only way to go.

 

fuel filter replacement on the 6.4. Best thing to do is go to sears/napa/autozone, get a 36mm short well socket. 3/8 or1/2" drive, up to you. I also use a wiggle tail for the one under the drivers door.

You can get filters thru the dealer, or somewhere online. I generally get mine from Ed @ www.partsguyed.com. This is one of those things, like the oil filters, only buy OEM.

I start by turning the yellow handle on the frame one to let it drain. As it is starting then I go topside and pull that filter off.

Crawl back under and then pull that one off. kind of a PITA because of the wire loom but you can do it.

Take the old one out of the cap, take the old 0-ring off of the cap, replace with new o-ring. Lube o-ring with clean motor oil and then insert filter into the cap, screw and torgue.

Go topside and pull the filter that you unscrewed. Same procedure, remove old filter and o-ring. Replace, oil the o-ring pop the filter back in the cap and screw it down to TQ specs.

Then into the cab, cycle the key to the on position only about 6-8 times, this allows the fuel to get back into the bowl and hopefully purge the air out of the system.

Try to start. May run a little rough then smooth out. If it won't start you can try cycling the key again.

Tip- on mine the fuel cutoff switch is hyper sensitive. So I hold the switch down while cranking and it will fire right up.

 

this guys sells 2 filter sets for $21.50 each.. (sells 1, 2 and 3)

2 - Motorcraft FD4609 Power Stroke Diesel Fuel Filters: eBay Motors (item 110557141436 end time Jul-18-10 18:01:47 PDT)

then the instructions are as jimmycat said..

easy.. just did my second since getting the 08 dually..

Sam

 

Pretty easy job. Some guys have problems with draining the fuel out and get it on them but I never had a problem.
I do it this way. Truck level. Remove fuel tank cap. Drain fuel. Remove engine fuel filter. Remove Driver side frame filter. Lube plastic threads on filter caps with light oil and replace. Cycle key 8 times. I use a swivel as well on the 36 mm socket with an extension on the frame filter. Biggest problem is laying on my back under the truck since I'm a big guy space is tight. More work putting it up on ramps so I just deal with it.

 

Sinex...This may sound like a dumb question, but, where is the fuel cutoff switch on an F-250? Thanks..Marty

 

Fuel cutoff switch is located on the passenger side of the dash. Open the front door, right there on the side of the dash is a little door., Open it up and there will be the switch.

Switch is designed to shut the fuel off to the motor in accidents.

 

Thank you very much, I would never have even thought of it, let alone located it. Thanks again, Marty

 

You guys don't run into starting issues if you change the engine compartment filter first then changing the one on the frame rail? I found in my 3 changes with the 6.4, the first I changed the engine filter first and it gave me a big headache, it took me a good 15 mins to get it going. Since then I do the rail filter first and it starts right up, no rough idling or anything.

 

I drain the water separator until it stops, then remove the frame rail filter under the truck, then remove the under hood filter. Reverse the order to put it together, cycle the key 5-6 times, and fire it up. It might stumble real quick once or twice but its very brief and never returns.

 

My exact procedure.

 

I have changed mine about 4 times now with no problems at all. I followed this procedure posted by a fellow FTE.

Quote
"removed fuel tank cap and let stand for 20 minutes,removed top filter lid, drained bottom filter ,about a inch in gal. pail. let finish dripping for 5 minutes. Remove top filter and installed new one , then did the same on bottom. Cycled key for 30 seconds 6 times started right up. I popped brake line out of plastic clips to move out of the way, also popped plastic pop ribbet that holds wires to frame so they could be tucked back out of the way." End Quote


Your way seems easy to do as well. I wonder how these guys get covered in fuel. I wonder what there doing wrong? Some claim the fuel won't stop draining as well.

 

I just did mine, and it was a massive mess. Lots of cursing and anger. I lost about 2 gallons of fuel and managed to collect most of it in pans. The first thing I did was open the water valve, and the last thing was change the primary filter. It streamed fuel steadily the entire time.

One internet thread mentioned pinching the fuel hose to stop it from running fuel, but I couldn't find any rubber hose between the primary filter and the tank.

The tank was full, which I could see being a contributor, but reading about this filter change nobody seems to mention waiting for a low tank.

I know this is an old thread but I'd like to know what I did "wrong".

David

 

Nothing wrong. Run the front of the truck on some stands, run the fuel tank down.


Then the rest I am sure you did fine.

 

I did have the front lifted about 4" so apparently the full tank was my mistake.


I tried opening and closing the fuel cap and that had no effect.




I considered waiting for the tank to drain down but when I read the Ford instructions it made no mention so I went ahead anyway. Never again!